Quick Question: Does Your Lip Balm Have Sun Protection?

It may seem completely trivial, but it could also be just the reason why no amount of lip balm or sugar scrub has worked for you thus far. Better now than never, we say.

by Natalyn Chan | June 7, 2018

For all the times we emphasised on how important SPF is and why one should be very aware of the detrimental effects of the sun, the last place you’d think of using sunscreen on would be on the lips. It’s such a small area and seems completely unnecessary to do so. But, just stop for a minute and think about it. Why shouldn’t we offer the same amount of protection we give to the rest of our face? You’ll need a lot more than lip balm – and then some more.

We don’t mean to scare you, but did you know that the skin on your lips is actually quite thin, and hence, poses a higher risk of skin cancer. Yikes. For this reason, using a lip balm with SPF15 or higher everyday will reduce that chance and decrease the dryness caused by the harmful rays. At the same time, the balm will keep your lips soft, moisturised and at a reduced risk of pigmentation. That means the perfect canvas for all your favourite lipsticks.

Now, can you use regular sunscreen on your lips? The surprising answer is, yes. However, we cannot guarantee that it is the most pleasant or convenient thing to do. Instead, look at the lip products you already own. Many of them may already contain SPF without you even noticing it. If you’re having trouble finding one, we’ve made a list of a few really great ones that you can shop straight away. (Fresh and By Terry get our vote.)